Double Breasted Matelot

Jackspeak, an introduction to Naval and Royal Marines Slanguage.

A matelot, often pronounced 'Mate a lot' has a female counterpart formerly known as Wrens, from their initials WRNS Women's Royal Naval Service. The female part of the RN is no longer known as the WRNS as they have all become "Sailors." However Jenny Wren remains part of naval nomenclature.

"Jenny" is held in deepest affection both figuratively and, if Jack and Royal get their evil ways, literally.

We knew our own "Jenny" was smitten when she emailed, whilst onboard ship, during the nastiness in the Middle East a few years ago. She had been servicing helicopters on the night shift, in temperatures between 30-40*C on the hangar deck. Suddenly at 0300 she was offered an ice cold can of coca-cola from a matelot who is now our son in law; the give-away? He was on day shift.